Sendak's childrens books are a treasure. Every one of them is a delightful surprise, full of whimsy and delightful characters. In fact, the characters themselves - wild things such as rabbits, squirrels, foxes, and even a few lions - bring a whimsical quality to all the books. But Sendak also took pains to ensure that the stories were relevant to children, that they taught lessons children could understand, and that they had entertaining plot lines that kept their readers hooked until the end.
A good book is one with a good story and a good plot, and Sendak's work is no exception. "The Night Before Christmas" is a great example of how books for 7 year olds can use a little bit of symbolism and fun to make it engaging for children. The main characters meet at the edge of a cliff to share a good laugh before beginning their adventure. As they set off to meet Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, the children discover that Santa has been buried in snow, and they rush to get him out. While waiting, they discover a giant bear that will stop them from ever reaching Santa.
In "The Wild Things," a group of wild animals are invited to a Christmas party. While waiting for Santa to arrive, they discover that Santa has been stolen by a reindeer. The children help the wild things save Santa by allowing him to ride a snow train back to the North Pole. When the train arrives at the North Pole, Santa realizes that he has to climb a monstrous polar bear to reach the gifts he has ordered for his guests. Along the way, the children discover that there are plenty of wild things who want to steal Santa for their own purposes, so everyone must work together to defeat these dangerous animals.
There are many more wild things in Sendak's book, and each has a story to tell. In "The Tortoise and the Hare," for example, a school-aged girl sets off on a journey with her new friend, a tortoise. They find themselves lost, and the tortoise decides that they should make a friendship with a hare. However, they quickly learn that the hares are dangerous, and that they plan to eat the tortoise. Fortunately, the girl and her friend are able to overcome their fears and remain with their new friends.
Other children's books are about monsters, such as the Vampires in "Books of Secrets and Magic." The Vampires are slowly taking over the English-speaking world, and children are being bitten all over. In this book, one little boy is bitten, but thanks to his mother's efforts, he survives. In "Nights of the Moon," meanwhile, a young woman comes to stay with the family after her stepmother moves away. She accidentally lets herself in to the home of the Vampires, and while they are away she eats some of their food.
When it comes to fantasy, children's books often count on children's imaginations. Many fantasy books, for example, involve creatures like unicorns and dragons. Others, such as "The Sandman" and" Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Life of the Gods," take the child into another dimension, sometimes called a parallel world. One of the most popular themes in children's books deals with magic. Whether it is dealing with spells, working with jewels, or using a wand, children are fascinated by magic, and if they see powerful spells in use, they want to be able to do the same thing. This post: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_literature elaborates more on the topic, so you may need to check it out.
